timeless
by shel
Summary: sometimes love isn't enough to fight fate…but, then again, sometimes it is…


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CHARMED

"Timeless"

by shel

© december 2002

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disclaimer:

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the charmed ones, cole, and leo, and the rest of the cast of characters we've come to know and love, belong to spelling television, inc. and possible other copyright holders. i intended no true infringement on their copyrights; i only wanted to borrow these marvelous characters for a short time in my own scenarios and hopefully return them no worse for wear; the only things i've gained from this story are the satisfaction and pleasure of having written it and in knowing that others may have enjoyed it too

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rating:

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pg-13

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summary:

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sometimes love isn't enough to fight fatebut, then again, sometimes it is

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timeline:

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this tale only takes into account all events up to and including season 5's witch in time'

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archive:

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please don't without expressed permission

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notes:

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caroline's my own character and doesn't refer to anyone or any event that has happened on the showi began this tale shortly after the ep aired and somehow got sidetracked and never finished ithaving just re-discovered it, i decided to go in a completely different direction from what i had intended and, instead, went for a little happy piecehope y'all don't mindplease let me know if you enjoyed my tale and why and, if not, why notand, please, don't bother wasting your time or mine by sending any flames

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May 2003

"What happened to supporting me?" Phoebe complained to her older sister as they stood in the Halliwell Manor's foyer. As she fixed her hair in the mirror, she continued, "What happened to being happy for me and not standing in my way when I found the right guy?"

Piper stole a glance at her husband and tried to calm herself before she said anything she might regret. "I meant what I said then."

"Really?" Phoebe questioned. "Then why are we having this conversationagain?"

"Hey, you guys," Paige hissed as she came down the stairs, "there's a sleeping baby upstairs. You think you could keep it down? Because, quite frankly, I'm tired of being on nanny-duty and would like a night off."

Piper flashed a hurt look to her youngest sister, "I thought you didn't mind helping out when I went back to work."

Paige groaned but assured her sister, "I don't but you guys have been arguing non-stop for three days and aren't helping matters. You know that kid of yours is rather sensitive to all our emotions and she's been going nuts with all this tension. And if you start crying, Piper, she'll probably be up the entire night."

"I'll go check on her," Leo offered when he saw the tell-tale signs of an oncoming emotional outburst on his wife's face.

"Leo" Piper warned.

"This is between you and Phoebe," he told her as he headed up the stairs.

"Thank you, Leo," Phoebe told him as she reached for her wrap.

"Don't thank me," he responded as he stopped and turned to face her, "I think Piper's right and that you're making a big mistake."

"Thank you, Leo," Piper smugly told her sister.

"Don't thank me, either," he told his wife, "because I also think that, for good or bad, Phoebe's made her decision and we have to accept it and stand by her." And, without waiting for any comments, Leo orbed out.

"Chicken," Piper muttered under her breath before she turned to Phoebe, "Look --"

"No," Phoebe interrupted as she grabbed her bag, "you look." She stepped closer to Piper and softened her tone, "Piper, I know you're not crazy about my choice but I am happy. I haven't felt this way inwell, in over a year. Not since before everything went wrong when Cole became the Source. But I'm happy again and everything feels so right. Can't you just let it go?"

"I wish I could," Piper sadly answered, "but I thinkno, I know this will lead to nothing but pain. For you and for us."

Phoebe turned her gaze to her younger sister, "Well?"

Paige looked at Piper with confusion and asked Phoebe, "Well what?"

"Anything you'd like to add?" she asked in return. "Any words of impending doom you'd like to share?"

Paige shook her head, "I know what you went through with Cole and I know how hard this past year has been on you. You've been towell, hell and back, I guess, and you've come so far and I'mproud of you."

Surprised, Phoebe hugged her sister gratefully. "Thank you, Paige."

"Yes," Piper glared at Paige, "thank you, Paige."

Paige caught her older sister's glare and cleared her throat as she pulled back from Phoebe. "Well, maybe, just one thing." Phoebe warily looked at her. "This is your decision and if you feel that this is the right choice for you then I'm behind you. None of us has to remind you of everything you went through because of Cole."

"But?" Phoebe asked impatiently.

Paige gave another glance to Piper who stepped in closer to her. "But you have to remember the warning."

Phoebe shook her head, "Not that again." She stared at her two sisters and said, "It was six months ago!"

"Caroline said it would happen in six months," Piper quietly reminded her sister, "and that means some time around now. I just think it's bad timing for you to openly declare your love now. It's like tempting fate. Remember what happened to Miles when you tried to save him."

"I remember," Phoebe softly admitted. "I do." She took a moment before she added, "I don't deny that it hurt to lose Miles before we really had a chance to get anything going but you did what you had to do and I thank you for setting it right. And I know the timing with Caroline so shortly after Miles seems a little coincidental but aren't you the ones who convinced me that I shouldn't let fate keep me from falling in love with some wonderful man who might make me very happy? Aren't you the ones who brought back Cupid to try and set me straight? And weren't you the ones who told me not to deprive myself of the happiness I deserve? Weren't you the ones who spent nights comforting me from nightmares, telling me that I wasn't meant to be evil or spend my life alone?"

Piper and Paige exchanged worried looks. "Yes, but," Paige began, "we didn't mean you should --"

"Caroline herself said her visions weren't always accurate," Phoebe interrupted. "I'm sorry we couldn't save her but I can't spend my life worrying whether or not this prediction of hers will be one of her few that comes true."

"But what if it is?" Paige asked her sister. "What if it does come true? What if Cole becomes the Source again and causes the deaths of several witches we know?"

"What about Darryl? He's our friend, practically part of the family. What will you tell his wife? Phoebe," Piper practically pleaded, "what happens to us if Caroline's prediction comes true?"

"Then I'll deal with it," Phoebe answered with growing annoyance.

"Then we'll all deal with it," Piper muttered. "What about Melinda? Are you willing to play with her fate too?"

Phoebe looked back at Piper with shock. "Do you really think I would put that sweet baby girl in the slightest bit of danger? I'd give up my life for that child and you know it. I've proved it."

"I'm sorry," Piper looked down and admitted, "I know what you did and I shouldn't have said that. And I'm sorry that I can't be happy for you." She quickly hugged Phoebe, "But I'm so scared that your decision will blow up in all our faces."

"I know you are," Phoebe quietly answered as she returned her sister's embrace, "and I promise you that I didn't make this choice on some selfish whim." She pulled back and told both sisters, "I did a lot of soul-searching and I realized that, bottom-line, I need him in my life. I need him."

"But is he worth the risk?" Paige asked. "The danger? The pain?"

"I've lived with the danger of being who I am for five years," Phoebe answered thoughtfully. "Before I even became a witch, I lost my mother, my grandmother, and countless years with my father. Since becoming a Charmed One, I've lived with the pain of losing innocents and of losing a sister. I've lived with the trauma of vanquishing my husband and losing my son. I can't run from it anymore." Phoebe took a breath, calmed herself, and continued, "I can't simply decide to accept only the good that comes my way. I have to accept the bad. And the pain is part of it. All these years I spent bitching about how rotten fate is that every time I was happy something came along to ruin it. Well, I'm finally taking some responsibility for it. Some of the pain has been due to the choices that I've made. I know you're both not happy about my latest choice. I know you wish it could be any other man. But it's not. He's the one I want. He's the one I will stand by. He's the one who will protect me and he's the one I will protect in return. He's the one I will spend my life with until fate steps in and decides otherwise."

"And what about Caroline's prediction?" Piper quietly asked. 

"If that's what fate intends," Phoebe considered, "then so be it. But for now, I just want to enjoy life. Celebrate life. Celebrate love. I guess that does sound selfish but I want to be happy. I deserve to be happy."

"Of course you do," Paige quickly hugged her sister. "We do want you to be happy. But"

"But I am happy," Phoebe assured her. "Listen," she added as she pulled back, "he'll be here any minute. If you're too uncomfortable, maybe you should go into another room or something." As she finished, the doorbell rang and she nervously looked in the mirror again. "Do I look okay?" she asked as she fixed her hair again. She tugged on her sleeveless blouse and straightened the seams of her long skirt. "It's not too plain is it? I must've gone through five outfits. I didn't want to seem like I expected too much, y'know? But this's still such a big step for us. Y'know, the first official date as a couple thing. God, I can't believe how nervous I am." The doorbell rang again and she turned to see her reflection from another angle and continued, "Maybe I should change"

"I think you'd better answer the door," Paige suggested as she rolled her eyes, "before he thinks you've changed your mind." She laughed at Phoebe's sudden look of horror. "Just kidding. You look great." 

Phoebe ignored her younger sister's chuckles as she rushed to the door and opened it. Her heart stopped when she saw him standing there dressed in his usual debonair casual style. "Hi," she breathlessly greeted.

"Hi," Cole greeted in return. He nervously glanced at her two sisters standing in the background and asked, "Everything okay?"

Phoebe turned to look at her sisters and replied, "We're working on it."

"Maybe I should talk to them," he offered.

"I'm not sure it'll do much good," she answered. "I think they're still in a bit of shock about all this. I mean, they've known I've been seeing someone but they never expected it would turn out to be you."

"If it makes them feel any better," Cole smiled, "I'm still in a bit of shock myself." He stepped inside, past Phoebe, and told Piper and Paige, "You know I've been using my powers as best I can to help innocents and I know there have been some bumps along the way but --"

"Some bumps?" Piper sarcastically interrupted.

Cole ignored the jab and continued, "I can only promise to do my best to make sure things turn out differently this time."

"We'll see," Piper grudgingly said as she gave a glance to Phoebe. Just then a cry was heard from upstairs. "I'd better see if Leo needs any help," Piper said as she quietly excused herself. Cole nodded to her and Piper told Phoebe, "Remember what we talked about."

"I will," Phoebe answered as she stepped to Cole's side and reached for his hand. "Now go and give that baby a smooch good night from me."

Piper gave them a hesitant smile and went up the stairs.

Paige noticed the comforting squeeze Phoebe gave Cole's hand and noticed his smile to her in return. "Well, I'm gonna try to finish that painting of mine. Bebe careful."

"Paige, three months ago, when Phoebe agreed to start seeing me," Cole told her, "I made her a promise." He looked at Phoebe who shook her head. He squeezed her hand and continued to Paige, "I told her that I would allow her to vanquish me at the first sign of any problem. I will not become the Source again."

"You told him about the prediction?" Paige asked her sister.

Phoebe nodded and acknowledged, "He deserved to know. That's why I've been working on that potion."

Stunned, Paige said, "That's why you asked about the vanquishing ingredients? But with all your powers, Cole, we don't know that it'll even work. Especially if you become the Source and gain all that additional power."

"I know," Phoebe solemnly agreed. "That's why I've also been working on a spell. The combination of the two should" she looked up at Cole with teary eyes, "willwork."

"Honey, we've talked about this," Cole said as he tenderly wiped away her tears. "You know it's the right thing." Phoebe nodded reluctantly and he kissed the top of her head. "Just keep it with you."

"Let's hope she doesn't need it," Paige quietly interjected. "Good night," she added as she went upstairs.

Phoebe leaned into Cole and he tightly wrapped his arms around her. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

Phoebe tilted her head back and gazed into his eyes, "I've never been more sure of anything. I love you, Cole Turner, and we'll make this work. Come hell or high water, we will. Now let's get going before I decide to skip dinner and go straight for dessert."

Cole couldn't help but smile at the petite woman who still hugged him tight. He bent his head towards hers and, as she tilted hers up, their lips met in a tender kiss. He then cupped her face in his hands and, as he faded out with her, he told her, "I love you, Phoebe Halliwell, and this will be just the beginning"

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the end


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